


When I Think About You (I Think About Calgary)

by MissyLeigh89



Series: Started at the Stampede [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Blackmail, F/F, Gen, Misunderstandings, Secrets, Strangers to Friends, Strangers to Lovers, calgary stampede, faking dating trope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:54:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28498635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissyLeigh89/pseuds/MissyLeigh89
Summary: Dom wanted to cry. Mostly out of frustration, but there was a bit of resentment there too. Because of all the bars in Calgary, her ex had to be here in this one. She had caught sight of her with her current beau, and was hoping that she hadn’t been noticed as she made her way towards the bar.Where a pretty little brunette had caught her eye and was looking back at her.
Relationships: Dana/Hannah, Mireille/Dominique, past Dominique/Hannah
Series: Started at the Stampede [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2087553
Kudos: 1





	When I Think About You (I Think About Calgary)

**Author's Note:**

> This is a repost; I created a new account to keep my writing and reading separate.

Dom wanted to cry. Mostly out of frustration, but there was a bit of resentment there too. Because of all the bars in Calgary, her ex had to be here in this one. She had caught sight of her with her current beau and was hoping that she hadn’t been noticed as she made her way towards the bar.

Where a pretty little brunette had caught her eye and was looking back at her.

Casual as she could manage, Dom sidled up next to the woman and smiled, hoping it was more charming than she felt. “Hey.”

“Hi.” The brunette looked up at her through her eyelashes and oh. Flirting. “Let me guess. You’re here for the Stampede?”

“Stampede,” she agreed, tucking her red hair behind her ear. “I’m Dom.”

“Mireille, though you can call me Mir.”

“Can I call you my girlfriend for the night? I just caught sight of my ex and I’m not ready to deal with that.”

Dom had been accused of being many things in life: a dreamer, a hopeless romantic, a wanderer. Impulsive was never one of them (neither was smooth), yet here she was, standing in front of a stranger asking them to play along with her.

Mir was smiling, though her brows were furrowed as if confused. “Your ex is here at the Stampede? What are the odds.”

Pretty good, was what Dom wanted to say, seeing as how the tickets were a birthday gift from herself. “Better than you’d think. I just didn’t think we’d run into each other at such a large venue.”

Or in a gay nightclub, she didn’t bother tacking on.

“This ex. Female, about five-five, long blonde hair?”

Dom’s eyes widened. “She’s right behind me, isn’t she?”

Instead of getting an answer, Mir surged up and caught her lips in a warm kiss. Dom’s hands went to the other woman’s hips, trying to keep them from both falling over with the momentum, remembering belatedly to engage back. It made her heart skip and her stomach swoop, forgetting that something so simple could cause such a reaction, and then it was over.

“Funny running into you here, Dommie. Who’s your little friend?”

Dom turned around, hand splayed low on her partner’s back, and was pleasantly surprised by the fierceness that Mir answered with. “Mireille. Not that it’s any of your business, from what I heard about you.”

Which was absolutely nothing, because there hadn’t been time to explain much. Still, it was enough to get Hannah to glare daggers at the pair of them and made Dom smile.

“I thought I told you not to bother me anymore. Yet here you are, making up your own rules. Again.”

Mir smiled up at Dom, leaning into her side. “Maybe we should find somewhere else, babe? Clearly, someone doesn’t understand boundaries.”

Before Dom could protest or Hannah react, Mir had their fingers interlaced, and was leading them away from the bar and towards the exit.

And that’s when Dom knew she was doomed.

She expected the brunette to let go of her hand and drop the façade once they were clear of the club; instead, she held on and lead them down the street, headed to who-knows-where.

“Umm. Thanks for that back there,” Dom murmured, cheeks flaming. “And for this.”

Mir shrugged, looking over at her. “It’s not every day a hot redhead comes asking me to be their girlfriend. I’m flattered.”

If it were possible, Dom’s cheeks got hotter and she bowed her head. The last year with Hannah had been rough, with very few compliments passing her way. So, for a stranger to be calling her hot and giving her any attention was overwhelming.

“What’s the story with you and blondie anyway?” Mir asked, cutting through Dom’s reverie. “I’m guessing nothing good, but if I’m going to be your girlfriend, I need to know where your head’s at.”

Dom raised her eyebrow. “Girlfriend?”

“Let’s face it, the Stampede is still like a week long. Wouldn’t it look strange if she sees you again and you’re single? So, week-long girlfriend. Who wants to know the tragic backstory.”

Dom spotted a Dairy Queen up ahead, gesturing at it with their combined hands. “I’ll tell you over an Oreo Blizzard.”

Mir sighed dramatically, fluttering her lashes. “You definitely know the way to my heart.”

-

Lisa Rodriguez had been Dom’s figure skating coach since she was a child. So when, at the age of 19, the coach decided to move across the country, she followed. The woman was good, coaching her to National titles and qualifying for the Olympics, a special blend of encouraging, disciplined and tough.

Vancouver was beautiful, and it was love at first sight.

_(“That’s so cheesy,” Mir remarked with a laugh, but encouraged her to continue.)_

One of the conditions that Lisa had was school. “This doesn’t last forever. Take some courses, get an education. Last thing I want to see is a decorated athlete with no job prospects because she didn’t go to college.”

Somewhere between early morning ice times, school, evening practice and homework, Dom met Hannah.

And for awhile, it was good. The blonde would start showing up at morning skates with coffee, and even travelled to a few competitions to show her support.

“Your family is across the country,” she’d say. “Someone has to be here.”

A few more National appearances, one more Olympics, and at the age of 26, Dom retired from figure skating.

“I appreciate all the love and support I’ve received over the years and have decided to hang up my skates before they were hung up for me.” That was the official statement she released through her agent; the reason she gave to her coach, her family, and the media.

But there were a pair of blue eyes, just outside the scrum, that had asked her to. That said it was putting a strain on their relationship. That told her she loved her and would follow her wherever, but the skating was getting to be too much.

So, she lied, said it was her idea, and became a coach herself to the next generation of skaters.

-

“Wait, oh my God. You’re not just _Dom_ , you’re Dominique Paquette. Oh my God.” It was said as a hushed whisper, which Dom was thankful for. Mir was looking at her with admiration. “You were ranked fourth in the country. I cheered for you so hard in 2014 in Sochi, it was borderline embarrassing.”

Dom was blushing again, hating her fair skin. “You’re actually the first person I’ve told that retirement wasn’t completely my idea.”

“Which I appreciate. Obviously, she was toxic.”

“There’s actually more…” Dom grimaced, poking at her melting Blizzard. “If I haven’t scared you away yet.”

-

It was their anniversary, and between her savings and coaching job, Dom had enough to buy a ring. The kind of sparkly diamond ring that Hannah had ooh’ed and aww’ed over before, in not subtle hints.

_(“If she wanted to get married so badly, why didn’t she ask you?”_

_“Just… wait.”)_

It was paid for in full, non-refundable, and money wasted when Dom walked into the apartment to find her girlfriend wasn’t alone in their bed. Her heart broke as she watched her girlfriend of seven years slink out of bed, wrapped in a sheet, trying to explain that Todd was a mistake. That he was her personal assistant and they had grown close when Dom was away in Calgary.

Training.

For Nationals.

Months before she retired.

“So, the last eighteen months have meant that much to you, huh? Don’t I feel foolish; I thought I meant something to you. But I guess all you wanted was the ring to say, ‘hey look, Dominique Paquette chose me’.” She sniffled, wiping at her eyes as she stormed over to the closet, furiously throwing clothes into a bag. “Because I kept choosing you, over and over. Over my career, my family, my dignity. But I was never really your choice, was I?”

Hannah grabbed her am, trying to slow her process. “I made a mistake, Dom. You’ve got to believe me.”

Dom turned, bag in her hand. “Mistakes happen once; they don’t last for a year and a half. I’m done here; hope he was worth it.”

She left, spending the night on a friend’s couch before going back the next day and packing properly. Her Calgary Stampede ticket included.

-

Mir stared, wide eyed and with her spoon lifted partly to her mouth. “Seriously?”

Dom dug around her jeans’ pocket, pulling out the diamond engagement ring and sliding it across the table. She had wanted to pawn it afterwards, since she couldn’t return it, but couldn’t bring herself to do so. “I don’t think it’s considered unlucky, since she never saw it or wore it.”

“It’s definitely shiny,” Mir laughed, handing it back. “And she seems the type to like shiny things.”

“So, tragic backstory complete. I’m here for the Stampede, then I’m headed home to Montreal.”

“Home?”

“I was born and raised there, and my sister Gen is still there. Who knows; maybe I’ll move back there.”

Mir poked at her ice cream in a way that had Dom watching her curiously. After a moment, she looked up and caught Dom looking, blushing as she looked back at her ice cream.

“You’ve gotten quiet. What’s on your mind?”

She winced, still poking her ice cream. “A lot of questions. Like, I know you asked me to pretend to be your girlfriend for tonight, but are you really okay with doing it for a week? Hand-holding, touching, kisses, et cetera.”

Dom reached across the table, stilling the woman’s hand and removing her ice cream. “I’m willing to walk away from this if you aren’t comfortable. I’m… a lot.”

“You’re fine. It’s me. I’m just nineteen; wouldn’t your ex find that suspicious?”

That was enough to give Dom pause. Looking at Mireille, she didn’t look nineteen. And she was an adult, capable of making her own decisions. Yet, it was the fact that she was younger than Gen that was causing her some trepidation.

Instead, Dom laughed. “Oh man, I must be an old bat to you.”

Mir’s eyes widened, which just made her laugh harder. 

“I’m serious, Dom. Wouldn’t it look funny if you’re walking around the Stampede, you’re recognized, and it comes out that I’m just a teenager?”

“Sorry, sorry.” Dom covered her mouth, shoulders still shaking. “It’s still on you. I haven’t had anyone come up to me in months, and honestly, I thought you were like twenty-three when I first saw you. You’re an adult, but I don’t want to pressure you into anything.”

“Well, thank you. It was different before I realized who you were.”

“If you need a night or two, I can give you my cell number. This way, it’s on you.”

Mir shook her head, smiling and pulling out her phone. “How very trusting.”

Dom returned her smile, taking the offered device. “What can I say? I’m a sucker for a pretty face.”

That made the brunette blush as she entered in her details, saving her number to contacts as _Dommie P. ♥_ and handing the device back to its owner.

“Listen. There’s no hard feelings either way. I asked for tonight, and I got it. You were delightful, and wonderful.” Dom rose from her seat, dropping a kiss on Mir’s head. “Thank you.”

And she left the Dairy Queen feeling better than she had since the entire fiasco with Hannah and Vancouver.

-

Scott Dumas was an old family friend and had agreed to let Dom use his house while she was in Calgary and he was in Europe, with the condition that it was returned in one piece. The fridge and cupboards were fully stocked for her stay, since the idea of too many nights eating out still hurt Dom and the training mindset she never quite shook. 

That's why the next morning found her dancing around the kitchen to Eric Church and singing into a spatula as she waited for her eggs to cook.

“Funny how a melody sounds like a memory, like a soundtrack to a July Saturday niiight…”

Her ringing phone cut off the remainder of her chorus, and she automatically put it on speakerphone so she could continue cooking her breakfast. “Hello, Dom speaking.”

There was a pause. “Hi Dom, it’s Mir. Mireille, from last night?”

Irrationally, her heart skipped a beat and she couldn’t help but smile. “Hey. What’s up?”

“I just… my mind won’t stop thinking about last night, our conversation and you being so open to a complete stranger.” There was a sigh over the line, and Dom imagined how ragged the other woman looked based on how she sounded. “I know it’s a bit of an imposition, but can we grab breakfast and talk some more?”

Dom looked at her eggs and made a snap decision. “I can give you the address of where I’m staying, if you’d like. I’ve got breakfast on the go and can make enough for two.”

Hesitation, then… “Would you mind? I’m so sorry, I just want to talk a bit more.”

“Yeah, I get that. No worries.” Dom passed along her address, already taking the carton of eggs back out, as well as grabbing a package of turkey bacon. “I know it’s a lot, and I didn’t even expect to hear from you this morning.”

Laughter trickled over the line, and that same sense from the club rose up momentarily. “I’ve been debating calling since the moment you left the Dairy Queen yesterday, just to see if you were fucking with me.”

This time it was Dom that laughed. “And are you satisfied?”

“Well, it’s nice to see that you’re both famous and genuine.”

Dom blushed, happy that Mir couldn’t see her. “I’d hardly call myself famous or even well-known.”

“Sure, Ms. Olympic Medalist. See you shortly. And thanks, for being so patient.”

The call disconnected; a soft beep that let her know that Mir was slowly making her way over. Dom popped the turkey bacon in the oven to cook, cracking a few more eggs into what she already had started.

It wasn’t until the bell rang that she realized she was still in sleep shorts and a raggedy tank top, her hair piled up in a messy bun. There was no other choice but to embrace it as she reached the front door and let the younger woman inside. 

“Breakfast should be about ready. Did you want toast?” Dom asked, heading back towards the kitchen and letting Mir follow her. “It’s only rye bread.”

Mir leaned against the kitchen island, opposite of where Dom was working. “Rye toast sounds great, thanks. I’m not inconveniencing you, am I?”

“Nah. I was already making breakfast when you called. Besides, I like feeding people. Gen- my sister- calls it my Mom Gene.”

The younger woman laughed. “I guess with your training, you got very particular about what you ate.”

“Yeah,” Dom answered, taking the tray of bacon from the oven using a dishtowel. “It’s knowing what fuels your body and how much you need. I spent a lot of years learning and training, so it’s been hard to break a lot of my habits.”

She stopped, turning to face the brunette. “But I’ve talked so much about myself. I want to know about you. I want to learn about Mireille.”

“Finish cooking, then I’ll answer whatever you’d like.”

Dom smiled, turning back to the food and getting started on toast. “Butter or no butter?”

-

Breakfast was eaten at the dining table, the ladies seated across from each other. Dom poked at her eggs, wanting desperately to start asking questions but still scared of saying the wrong thing to Mir. At this point, she was pretty sure the woman was going to politely turn her down, and she was surprisingly okay with that outcome. It was just that… something about her made all her defenses come down and want to keep her close.

“I don’t know why, but I keep expecting you to turn into some kind of jerk,” Mir admitted, not looking up from her plate. “Yet, you’re feeding me, you keep treating me like an adult, and you aren’t being pushy about anything.”

Dom shrugged. “You are an adult.”

“You’re the only one that seems to think that nineteen isn’t a child.”

“I was nineteen when I moved across the country to continue pursuing a dream. I have no room to talk.” Dom blew out a breath, sagging a bit in her seat. “That said, I shouldn’t have foisted myself on you last night, and the fact that you didn’t throw a drink in my face just goes to show how mature you are. Lord knows what I would’ve done in the same circumstances.”

It was quiet for a bit, just the sound of utensils stabbing food. Finally…

“I was planning on hitting on you last night. I didn’t know who you were at first, or how old you were. I just saw red hair and was a bit gone.” Mir finally looked up at her, blushing into her hairline. “Once I found out who you were, I was waiting for something to change. For you to change, really. Yet here we are, and you’re still the same person you were when you introduced yourself as Dom.”

“I’m… sorry?”

Mir laughed. “No, it’s not a bad thing. I’m sorry I made it sound like that. It’s like, I was ready to come here and be either rejected in an extremely humiliating way or pressured into honouring my suggestion. My suggestion to be your girlfriend for a week. Instead, I’m being fed and treated as an equal.”

“Mir-”

“Listen, please? Otherwise, I might lose my nerve.” She paused, taking a breath. “You’re a beautiful human, Dominique Paquette, and anyone would be lucky to have you, for real or for pretend. So, until the end of the Stampede, I’m willing to be your girlfriend and all that it entails. Short of sex, I mean, but I think that was a given.” Mir smiled, and Dom’s heart fell into her stomach. “You’ve treated me with nothing but kindness, and you showed a level of respect in not pressuring me into anything. One week of that seems like any woman’s dream come true. But this has to be mutual; if you don’t want to go through with it because of yourself and your own feelings, then we part ways and call it a clean break.”

Dom sat back and crossed her arms, watching as Mir kept eating. What was it that had her saying no? The eight years difference was a slight drawback, but again, this woman sitting in front of her wasn’t acting like she was on the cusp of being twenty. There was no pressure being placed on either of them, which made this easier, and they knew what the line was. 

“Would you like to stay here for the week with me, or have a designated spot that we meet on the grounds?”

Mir blushed when she answered. “If it’s not too much trouble, I can crash on the couch.”

“There’s a spare room; I wouldn’t offer and then make you sleep on a couch.”

“Thanks. I’ll stop by my hotel after and grab some clothes.” Mir winced. “Sorry, but are you okay if there’s a group of us? It was supposed to be a girl’s trip.”

Dom shrugged with a smile. “Sure. I mean, I am the one imposing.”

This drew a laugh from the other woman, and Dom felt satisfied.

\--

Three days passed, and while Mir swore she saw Hannah, Dom hadn’t seen her ex over that span. Admittedly, she was a bit focused on Mir and her gaggle of friends, all of them teasing the pair for hooking up and hanging out. None knew the truth, but no one called them out on faking it either. Not with the closeness, the gentle touches or quick pecks on the cheek or forehead.

As it was, waiting in line for food with Lisa, Mir’s hand was in Dom’s back pocket of her jeans. Lisa only rolled her eyes and called them disgusting but made no other quips.

“You’re just jealous my girlfriend is hotter than your boyfriend,” Mir teased, leaning into Dom’s side. 

Lisa shook her head with a laugh. “Ridiculous.”

The thing too was that they- her and Mir- never talked about it being fake. Dom wasn’t delusional enough to believe that it was anything but an agreement, as that would take communication, but that there was a genuineness to whatever this thing was. That this could become something.

She kissed the temple of Mir’s forehead before she became too caught up in her thoughts, receiving a bright smile and a shoulder bump.

\--

It happened on the fourth day, just about halfway through the Stampede. A small group of them, including Dom and Mir, wanted to watch the barrel racing and had gotten decent seats in the stands. 

“Y’know, it’s not a real rodeo without a bit of daydrinking,” Sara suggested, with Lisa and Carmen nodding their assent. 

Dom nudged Mir to get her attention. “I’ll go get us some drinks. Anything you want in particular?”

“Smirnoff Sangria, please.”

“Awesome, I’ll be right back.” Dom gave Mir’s lips a quick peck before getting up with Lisa and Sara to get drinks.

In line, Lisa gave her a nudge. “It doesn’t bother us.”

“Hmm?” Dom was confused, brows furrowed as she looked at Lisa. “There’s not enough hands if I don’t help.”

Sara rolled her eyes. “Not that. The kissing. I think that’s the first real kiss you two have exchanged in front of us since the bar. Oh yeah, we saw that. Either way, we’re not assholes. We tease Mir because, well, it’s Mir, but we do it out of love.”

“You two kissing is no different than if it were me and Brad,” Lisa added. 

Dom felt her face heat up and looked away from the two ladies. “I just haven’t wanted to embarrass Mir in front of her friends. I care about her, even in such a short time.”

Both Lisa and Sara cooed, and she knew she had to be turning a brilliant shade of red. Even the server behind the bar gave a bemused look as the trio approached, Dom placing her orders first and stepping off to the side to wait for the ladies that were maybe becoming her friends too.

This time, it was Sara who nudged her as they rejoined the rest of the group, gesturing with her head towards Mir. Dom rolled her eyes but gave her girlfriend another peck on her lips as she handed over her beverage. 

The younger woman deepened it to a kiss briefly before pulling back, seemingly ignoring the wolf-whistles from a few seats over. “Thanks babe.”

Dom put her arm around Mir’s shoulders, a smile on her face, and that was that.

-

Things came to a head that night. 

The group had continued to drink leisurely throughout the day, and by the time the entertainment was supposed to start, Dom was feeling out of sorts from both the alcohol and the July sun. Not wanting to ruin the group’s fun, she leaned against Mir’s back and slipped her arms around her waist, nuzzling her face into the woman’s neck.

It earned her a chuckle. “Hey babe, what’s up?”

“M’not feeling great. I’m going to head for the house. Let you bond with the girls without the old fart.”

Mir twisted in her hold so that they were face to face, her hands coming up to cup Dom’s face. “You sure? You look burnt.”

Dom smiled. “I’m going home, showering and then either going to bed or chilling on the couch. Depends how I feel.”

Mir gave a quick kiss to her lips and the tip of her nose. “Text if you need anything.”

“Enjoy yourself.”

She spent the Uber ride back to the house dozing, the air conditioner feeling like a Godsend after being out in the sun all day. By the time she made it back to the house, she was almost dead on her feet and seriously considering just heading to bed. Still, she grabbed her toiletries and headed to the en suite bathroom, knowing full well that she’d thank herself in the long run if she did it now instead of waiting till the morning.

Some time must have passed while she was in the shower as the curtains were pulled back and a very naked Mireille joined her in the shower. Her heart skipped a few beats then started racing as timid fingertips traced lightly up her arms.

“Mir.”

The younger woman stepped closer, the spray of the water washing over her. Her hands finally reached her shoulders, palms splayed over the curves. Dom’s own hands were exploring the skin of Mir’s back, slowly running up her spine and making her shudder. It seemed to ignite something between the two women as Dom moved so that Mir was pressed against the tiled shower wall, her body pinning the brunette there. Their lips met in a hungry kiss, their touches going from exploratory to needy. Mir’s fingers ended up entangled in Dom’s hair, while Dom’s hands ended up on the younger woman’s ass.

Wet kisses were trailed along Mir’s jaw and down her neck, nipping and sucking as fingers tightened in her hair.

“Dom. Please, Dom.”

The breathless sighs were what snapped the redhead back to her right mind as she pulled back. Nothing was dark enough that it would bruise, and there was a flash of thankfulness. Neither of them was entirely sober, this was one hundred percent going against their agreement, and she could not bear doing this without full consent.

The haze seemed to lift from Mir’s eyes, and her arms fell to her sides. “Dom?”

She shook her head, moving away and climbing out of the shower, mumbling “sorry” as she did. Quickly, she wrapped the towel around her body and left the bathroom, closing the door gently behind her.

What had she done?

There was a trail of Mir’s clothes from door to door, which she gathered up and deposited into her own dirty laundry. Lingering guilt made her rummage through her belongings to find something for the other woman to wear, settling on an oversized sleep top and a pair of boxer shorts. The water was still running when she approached the door, carefully opening it and slipping the clothes inside.

By the time Dom finished drying off and getting into her own pyjamas, the water hadn’t shut off and she was taking it as a sign that this was it.

-

She was dozing on the sofa, a water bottle in her hand and Netflix asking if she was still watching Nailed It (she very was not) when gentle hands stirred her back to some form of awake.

“Shh, shh. It’s just me,” whispered Mir, crouching in front of her. 

“Mir? What time is it?”

She chuckled softly. “Just after two. I couldn’t sleep but I heard the tv.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. But… can I sleep with you tonight? Like, share a bed? Is that weird?”

It was Dom’s turn to chuckle as she sat up and stretched. “Not weird, no. I thought you’d be long gone by now.”

Mir stood up, offering her hands to get Dom back on her own feet. “I’m embarrassed, but I get it.”

“We were drunk. I didn’t want to take advantage of you like that.”

The kiss was soft and unexpected, only lasting a moment before the younger woman pulled away. “I get it. Come to bed?”

And Dom wasn’t strong enough to say no to that.

-

They had started the night on their respective sides of the bed, backs towards each other with no more talks about the shower. By the time Mir’s phone was going off, they were cuddled together in the middle of the bed, a tangle of legs and Dom’s arms wrapped around her partner’s waist.

Mir turned off the noise and Dom pulled her back closer, burrowing her face in the younger woman’s neck. “Too early.”

“Oh my God,” she laughed, rolling over. “Dom, baby, are you hungover?”

“Shhh. I haven’t drank like this since Sochi.”

There was another laugh, followed by a kiss to the forehead. “You’re just old.”

“You’re mean. Why do I even like you?”

Mir’s response was quiet. “You like me?”

It was the disbelief in the short statement that made her open her eyes, ignoring the headache as she lifted her head to look at Mir. “Of course, I do. Mireille, I care so much about you that I get overwhelmed if I think about it too long. And part of me thinks I shouldn’t, because I barely know you, but the truth is that I do.”

“You actually mean that.” It wasn’t said as a question but rather as a fact, earning a smile and a kiss to her forehead. “I… Dom…”

“Shh. Come back to bed, we can deal with feelings later.”

Mir shifted a bit, eyebrows pinched. “I feel like an ass, but I was supposed to do breakfast with the girls. You were invited too, if you’re up for it?”

“No, no, go ahead. I’m going to take it easy this morning, if that’s alright.” Dom laughed, getting comfortable again amongst the blankets and pillows. “I’m getting too old to drink like that.”

Mir climbed out of bed, stretching as she did. Dom didn’t pretend not to watch, slightly disappointed that there wasn’t a peek of skin between the shirt and shorts. She was caught watching and given a shake of the head and an exasperated chuckle.

“You’re terrible. I’ll bring you something back.”

“You’re the best.”

“Go back to sleep.”

Dom barely heard the bedroom door close, and she definitely didn’t hear Mir leave. What finally woke her up was the pounding on the front door. Thinking it was Mir back already, she rushed from the bedroom and got to the front door, only to find her former agent, Dana Williams, standing on the stoop.

“Oh good, I wasn’t sure if I’d catch you before you went to the fairgrounds,” greeted the woman, smiling in a way that made Dom’s stomach roll and a chill go down her spine. “Mind if we talk?”

“I still have nothing to say to you, Dana. You broke contract, lawyers and judge agreed and the contract was terminated. There’s nothing left to talk about.”

Her smile widened, and Dom was sorely tempted to punch her in the face. “It’s not about the past, Dominique, as much as it is about your present and your new girlfriend.”

That earned a pause, and despite better judgement, Dom allowed the woman to enter the house and shut the door behind her.

“Alright, so why are you here?” Dom asked once they were settled at the dining table, both with a bottle of water.

Dana pulled up her purse to the table, rummaging around and pulling out a handful of pictures. “I guess the news hasn’t gotten out that I’m no longer your agent. That said, these were given to me and the pap that gave them to me said he had more that he was willing to sell unless his asking price could be met.”

These pictures weren’t particularly damning, by any means. Yes, they showed Dom and Mir together as a couple, but there was nothing scandalous about it beyond the kiss from yesterday in the stands. But it was all hand holding and hugging. Nothing that would get much traction but could make a quick story in some check-out lane rag.

“You’ve let worse go,” Dom stated, still looking through the few pictures. Truth be told, she kind of liked them. “What’s made you care enough to come see me over this?”

The way Dana laughed made Dom shudder, and she hated the feeling that the older woman had the upper hand in this scenario. “’Dominique Paquette, 27, seen pictured with who many are assuming is her new girlfriend. Sources say that Mireille Rieux, 19, from Victoria BC is the new belle of the ball.’ Now tell me, how exactly does that look for the pair of you? She comes across as a gold-digger, someone looking for her fifteen minutes of fame with a washed-up has-been, and you don’t come across much better there. Practically a child.”

Of course, Dana knew. The woman was a good agent and if it hadn’t been for her screwing around with Hannah that lead to the termination of her contract, Dom would be willing to be a rational human about this. 

“I can hear you thinking, Dom. Trust me, I know we’re on shitty terms and Hannah told me just to let this go. But you’ve been a client of my firm since you were a child in Montreal, and I was your agent for over ten years. I don’t want to see you get hurt with this bullshit.”

And that was it. Dom believed that this was Dana being genuine and concerned; that there was no malicious intent but rather to get both her and Mir out of this rather unscathed.

“Fuck.”

-

Dom was dressed and hanging out in the living room when Mir returned, the smell of bacon wafting in from the entryway. The pictures were spread out on the coffee table, and she was still waffling between what to do.

“Hey babe, I’m home!”

“In here,” Dom called back, picking up the picture from yesterday.

Mir approached from behind, looking over her shoulder at the picture. “Where’d you get that?”

Dom sighed, looking over her shoulder. “Dana.”

“Dana, as in your ex-agent Dana Williams?” Mir clarified, taking a seat on the couch.

She launched into the story of how Dana showed up at the house with these pictures, how she got them, what she knew and then finally…

“…it doesn’t look good for either of us. I come off worse, but you’ve never been in the spotlight like this. I can’t say how long it’ll last for, especially since I’m in Vancouver and you’re in Victoria and we won’t be together all the time.”

“Fuck.”

Dom laughed. “That was my reaction. But I know this isn’t just my decision.”

Mir was quiet as she leaned forward, picking up one of the pictures from earlier on in the week. It was probably the tamest of all the pictures, even though each woman had a hand in the other’s back pocket.

It took a bit, but Mir finally spoke up. “You know I like you, right?”

“I had a feeling.” Dom smiled. “So, what do you want to do?”

Mir smiled back at her. “I want you to go eat your breakfast, then we can head to the fairgrounds.”

“And the pictures?”

“Look, I can’t say that I’m thrilled they exist. But we knew it was a possibility, even with you being retired. You’re Dominique Paquette; you represented Canada on several different world scales, including twice at the Olympics.” Mir paused, eyes wide. “Unless you’re embarrassed by me?”

_Embarrassed_ wasn’t the right word. Especially looking at the woman now, taking everything with a grain of salt. “It’s more along the lines of concern. I’m more worried about what will be said about you. You’ve still got your education to think about, your future. I want you to be known as Mireille Rieux, not the teenager that’s Dominique Paquette’s girlfriend.”

The kiss was soft and sweet, Mir moving to straddle Dom’s thighs and cup her face in her hands. Dom was quick to initiate back, wrapping her arms around the younger woman’s waist. She couldn’t help but follow as Mir pulled back, earning a giggle and a kiss to the tip of her nose.

“You’re okay if we do nothing and the pictures are sold to the media?” Dom clarified.

“I’m okay with being known as your girlfriend, yes.”

-

By the time they arrived at the fairgrounds, they agreed that this was no longer fake and that they were willing to give it a try and see where it went. And with that final barrier down, the affection that they already shared came much easier. Their fingers were interlocked as they approached the rest of the group, Carmen pointing them out to the other two women.

“About time. We were thinking of going into town today, since it looks like rain.”

The weather had briefly crossed Dom’s mind, but she didn’t care about a little rain. However, Mir looked up at the sky and glared at it, like that would keep it from raining.

“C’mon. A little water never hurt anyone,” Dom tried to argue as the first drops hit her face. “Besides, the stands are covered.”

“The rest of the grounds aren’t,” Lisa countered. 

Sara chimed in with “C’mon, let’s go be tourists. Go to a museum or something.”

Dom chewed on her bottom lip for a brief moment of debate, before deciding to pull the trigger and hope that Mireille didn’t get too upset. “Listen, you guys go ahead. I’ve been to Calgary enough times for Olympic training and visiting family friends that I’m not up for being a tourist.”

The three women gasped, eyes wide as they looked between Mir and Dom. Dom peered at Mir from the corner of her eye, finding her face flushed red. She’d have to ask about that after.

“I thought- “

“No way.”

It was Sara laughing almost hysterically that had Dom worried however, but the woman brushed her off with a wave of her hand. “Sorry. Sorry. It’s just… you never said who you were, but you’ve been getting a lot of side-eyes over the last few days, so we were trying to figure out who you were.”

Now it was Dom turning red. So much for subtlety. “I never noticed.”

“Of course, you didn’t.” Lisa smirked, raising an eyebrow. “You were too busy looking at Mir’s ass.”

Dom let go of Mir’s hand to cover her face with both hands, shoulders shaking with laughter and laughing harder when Lisa added “Don’t worry, Mir was staring at yours too.”

“I’m murdering you all and finding better friends.” Mir muttered.

“Like you could find better.”

The light sprinkle of drizzle was slowly working its way to becoming a downpour, so Dom kissed the side of Mir’s head and nudged her towards the other women. “Go spend time being a tourist with these assholes. I have some errands to run and I’ll meet you back at the house later.”

“No, come with us,” begged Lisa, with Carmen and Sara agreeing. “It’s a girls’ trip and you’re a girl.”

Dom laughed but shook her head. “Sorry ladies. Have fun torturing my better half.”

It was an easy decision to take an Uber back to her place to pick up her car, instead of trying to do groceries with the car service. She waved at the group as she left, wondering how Mir was faring with her having dropped the bombshell she had.

-

By the time Dom was done picking up enough food supplies to last the next few days, her phone battery had dropped significantly between texts from Sara and Lisa, a mixture of pictures and stunned texts asking if she really was that Dominique Paquette. It made her laugh, especially when the pictures were of a disgruntled or embarrassed Mireille. Those were saved to her phone, and she was thankful no one was around to see how dopey her face was. 

She was in the middle of putting the produce in the fridge when her phone really started to go off. Ignoring it for the moment, she continued putting away her groceries until it was obvious that her phone wasn’t going to stop until she dealt with it.

Unknown number was calling, and hesitantly she answered it. “Hello, you’ve reached Dom.”

“Hi, Dominique Paquette? It’s Bryan Mercer, of SkateCanada. How are you?”

Dom had to put a hand on the counter to steady herself. “I’m great, Mr. Mercer, how are you?”

“Bryan is fine. And I'm good, thanks for asking. Listen, your name was put forward by both Lisa Rodriguez and Kathryn Turner as someone that may be interested in coaching under the SkateCanada name. Of course, you’d have to go through our National Canada Coaching Program and get your certification, but with your prior career as a figure skater and your work with Mrs. Turner, you seem like a good candidate.”

“I- wow. Me, really?” 

Bryan chuckled over the line. “I apologize, I know it’s a lot to take in.”

“It’s just not anything I was expecting. Do you need an answer right this minute?”

“Of course not. I can give you the week to think about it. How does that sound?”

“Excellent. Let me take your number so I can give you a call back.”

She ended the phone call with a series of thank yous, her heart trying to burst out of her chest. Looking at her phone, she saw that the missed calls and unanswered texts were from her current agent, Derek, as well as her former coach, Lisa. They were all about expecting a phone call from SkateCanada, as well as Lisa telling her that she was getting set to retire within the next few months.

Derek was obviously the guy she needed to talk to about this, so she hit the return call button and listened as it rang.

“Hello, you’ve reached the office of Moore & Phillips; how may I direct your call?”

“Derek Moore, please. It’s Dominique Paquette returning a call.”

“Please hold, Ms. Paquette.”

It was a brief hold before Derek’s deep voice answered with a “Hello Dom.”

“So, I got a job offer from Bryan Mercer of SkateCanada.”

He chuckled. “Hi Derek, how are you? Oh I’m fine, yourself? Great, I just got my ideal job opportunity with Canada’s national figure skating affiliate.”

He hadn’t been her agent for long, maybe six months, but he treated her like an old friend. It helped that they were relatively close in age and he had been very personable from the moment they met. There were no issues with his professionalism, but there were times where her manners went out the door and he liked to give her hell over it.

“Sorry Derek.” She took a breath to calm herself. “I lost my head for a second.”

“That’s alright. Talk to me. What are you thinking?”

Dom paced across the kitchen, her phone on speaker on the island. “I mean, that’s kind of what I had hoped for, eventually, right? I thought, work privately with Kathryn and the rink, have my own few clients and then hopefully in five, ten years be able to work my way into the SkateCanada system. But it’s been like, what, a year and a bit since I retired? I wasn’t expecting it this soon.”

“To be fair, you’d probably start with the young kids and work your way up with them. Be their coach and mentor. They wouldn’t throw you right to the fourteen, fifteen-year olds that are looking to be eligible to compete on a higher stage.”

And that’s why Derek was on her payroll. “That’s still a lot of pressure. What if I’m no good?”

“Not every coach has to coach at an Olympic level, Dom. You got lucky with Lisa and stuck with her when you could have switched. Then who knows where you’d be. But I think you owe it to yourself to try.”

Dom knew that he was right; she wasn’t expected to be an Olympic caliber coach just because she had been there herself. And who knew when she’d get this opportunity again?

“I’ll give Bryan a call back and let him know I’m going to accept.”

“You won’t regret it, Dom.”

-

By the time Mir arrived back at the house, Dom had called Bryan back and said that she’d be willing to take the position as long as she could remain in Vancouver, and she had mac and cheese browning in the oven.

“How was your day?” she asked once she was joined in the kitchen, her arms naturally wrapping themselves around her partner’s waist. “Enjoy your day with the ladies?”

“No, they’re terrible,” pouted Mir, which made Dom laugh and kiss her forehead. “They wouldn’t stop giving me shit that I managed to hook up with National Icon Dominique Paquette, and then giving it to me worse when I argued that you’re just Dom.”

“Just Dom, eh?” She took a breath to steady herself. “What about Dom Paquette, coach of STARSkate with SkateCanada?”

Mir pulled back out of her embrace, and her heart sank. “When did this happen?”

“A few hours ago. Bryan Mercer called and offered me the position based on my previous skating experience, as well as the recommendations of my former coach and current employer. I couldn’t turn it down. And they agreed to let me continue coaching out of Vancouver, so I’m not moving.”

The silence stretched on, and Dom was the one to break it tentatively. “You’re not saying anything.”

“I’m… taking it in.” Mir sighed, putting more distance between the pair. “I mean, obviously this is great for you, congratulations.”

“But.”

“This is completely selfish of me, but what about us? I thought I’d be okay with the pictures getting out, but now you’re going to be part of figure skating’s national affiliate and I’m just going to continue looking like… like…”

“Like you’re just in it for the fame.” Dom finished, her heart officially in her stomach and her stomach hanging out by her feet. “But we know better than that.”

Mir wiped at her eyes. “It still doesn’t look good for either of us, Dom, and maybe this morning I felt more optimistic thinking that we can ride out the fifteen minutes that the photos will cause. But the truth is that I’m going to have to play a certain role during all of this. If I fuck up, it’s not my image that’ll get dragged through the mud.”

The timer on the oven startled them both, and Dom busied herself with taking supper out of the oven. Her appetite was gone, looking at the melted mess of cheese. She turned back to the younger woman, and in this instance, she looked every bit the nineteen-year-old that they had both been trying to deny that she was. She wasn’t sure who her heart was breaking for: herself, or Mireille.

With the last of her resolve, she trekked back up to the bedroom and rummaged through the side pocket of her duffle for the little drawstring pouch she had hidden there. She nearly ran into Mir as the younger woman made her own way to the room she had been staying in.

“Here.” She thrust the pouch out towards Mir, trying to keep her voice even. “A pawn shop should give you about ten grand for it. You might do even better at an auction.”

Mir took the pouch and dumped Hannah’s engagement ring into her palm. Startled eyes looked up at her, and Dom cut her off before she could argue.

“Consider it compensation for this past week and whatever bullshit is about to come your way. Use it to go to school, or travel, or whatever.”

The brunette shook her head, putting the ring back and trying to give it back. “Dom… please. This isn’t what I was after, or what I want.”

“I know,” she said quietly, smiling sadly. “I just want to make sure you’re looked after. I do care about you, Mireille, and if this is how I can help, then so be it.”

Mir laughed, but it sounded empty. “The dumb shit we do because we care about each other.”

If Dom was a stronger woman, she would have left it at that and let the woman go to her room to presumably pack up her things to leave. Maybe she would have asked what she meant by that. Instead, in the middle of the hallway, she pulled the other woman into her arms and held her tight, both shaking as they cried in frustration and in pain.

-

And then she was gone.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mir felt sick as she entered the hotel that she had originally been staying at, her stomach a series of knots and a black hole where her heart had been. Barely ten feet into the lobby, she saw the blondes sitting on a sofa, heads bent towards each other and talking quietly. It took everything she had left to walk towards them, hiking the shoulder strap of her bag higher onto her shoulder.

Dana noticed her first, and then it was both her and Hannah watching her. She dropped into an armchair across from them, her bag at her feet.

At least Dana had the decency to look apologetic. “It was in everybody’s best interest, Mireille.”

She didn’t respond, too afraid she was going to burst into tears again.

“This way, the pictures don’t get out. Dominique doesn’t have to go through more than she already has, you get to keep being anonymous and live your life, and you get your tuition paid for, regardless of what school you go to.”

“As long as you keep this to yourself,” Hannah added, giving her a look that made her want to both sink further into her chair and punch the woman in the face.

Instead, she nodded, still wordless. 

“Look, it wouldn’t have worked out anyway,” Hannah continued, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “You’re still just a child, and she’s closer to thirty than twenty. It wasn’t going to be any more than a fling.”

“Hannah, be nice.” Dana admonished, before turning to Mir. “You have my number for when you decide what you want to do with schooling. It’ll get better, you’ll see.”

She just nodded, and the pair took that as their cue to leave. 

It took everything she had left to get up off the chair and shuffle her way over toward the elevators, her bag over her shoulder. What she wasn’t expecting was for the doors to open and for her to come face-to-face with her friends; she had hoped that she could sneak into the room while they were out and have her breakdown with no one present.

“Mir?” came Sara’s quiet voice, full of concern. 

It was too much as the tears started up again. They were quick to move, Carmen taking her bag from her and Lisa and Sara ushering her into the elevator. Her face was in Sara’s neck as Lisa ran her fingers through her hair, making hushing sounds.

She didn’t deserve them, but in this moment, she was thankful to have the three of them by her side.

-

“I’m going to head for home,” she announced the next morning, poking at the eggs of the continental breakfast the hotel offered. “I don’t want to ruin the rest of the trip by being a Debby Downer.”

The three other women exchanged a worried look with each other, before Carmen spoke up. “Are you sure you want to be travelling alone right now?”

“I’m pretty over the Stampede myself,” Lisa piped up, with Sara nodding her agreement. “And the front desk called up this morning to say that our room was taken care of by a ‘redheaded stranger’. So, we can leave later this morning and save this kind stranger a few bucks.”

Mir knew none of them were dumb enough not to know who this stranger was, her heart swelling with equal amounts gratitude and guilt. Taking a risk, she pulled her phone out of her pocket to text Dom a quick thank you, only to receive a response that that number no longer existed.

“Oh, Mir, it’ll get better,” Carmen said gently, taking her hand in both of hers. “I guess this shows that you shouldn’t meet your idols.”

“I guess,” she agreed, making the mistake of catching Lisa’s eye. The skeptical look she gave with one raised eyebrow let her know that this wasn’t over and that the two of the were going to have A Talk. “Thanks guys, for being here.”

They finished their meals with little fanfare, Sara offering to go get snacks while the rest of them got their stuff sorted and packed.

An hour later, they were on the road home to Victoria.

-

After a week, Lisa had lulled her into a false sense of security. It was a rare day they both had off, and they were enjoying it by lazing in the living room in their pyjamas. The tv was on some cartoon that Mir wasn’t following, and she felt content.

Even when the other woman put her head in her lap, she wasn’t expecting her calm to be disrupted.

“So, what happened with you and Dom? You seemed so happy earlier at breakfast and even when the two of you showed up at the fairgrounds. Late, might I add.”

“We’re doing this, then?” Mir sighed, starting to play with Lisa’s dark hair. “Fine. But remember, you asked.”

Lisa wriggled in anticipation, and Mir shook her head at the ridiculousness that was her friend and her life.

-

The group returned to the hotel after being tourists at one of the museums, Mir staying a bit to catch up with them. “I feel bad that I’ve essentially ditched you guys.”

“Yeah, for Dominique Paquette. I’m straight, but I’d ditch all your asses too if I got to hang out with her.”

Mir knew she must have been blushing at Sara’s statement, laughing even if it was at her own expense. “You guys are awful.”

_(“Uggh. Mir, get to the good stuff. What happened?”_

_“Fine.”)_

By the time she left to go back to the house, she was in high spirits and planning the rest of the night, not aware of the blonde that started to follow her.

“Excuse me, Mireille Rieux?”

Mir stopped and turned to face the woman, who looked familiar, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “Can I help you?”

“Dana Williams, nice to meet you. Can you spare some time to talk to me?”

Of course, it was Dom’s former agent. Her first instinct was to turn on her heel and walk away from the woman, but her hesitation was seen as an invite for Dana to link their arms and lead her towards the hotel bar.

“It won’t take long, I promise.”

She led them into a corner booth in the back, where they weren’t likely to be overheard and already, Mir didn’t like where it was going. She liked it even less, however, when a manila envelope was pulled out of Dana’s oversized purse and pushed towards her.

“Now, I know that you’ve been staying with Dominique and the pair of you are in some sort of relationship. But I’m not sure she would have shared these with you.”

In the envelope where another set of pictures, exactly the same as the ones she had seen earlier on the coffee table.

_(“Wait, there were pictures? Like pap photos?”_

_“From the fairgrounds, yeah.”_

_“What the fuck?”)_

“Yeah, she did earlier. We decided to ride the storm out.”

The smile Dana wore was predatory, and Mir wished she wasn’t by herself right now. “So, in this decision, or in any conversation you two have had, she knows all about your little situation?”

“It never came up.” Her face flushed and her throat went dry. “I didn’t think it’d matter.”

“Oh no, not to her it wouldn’t.” Dana tucked her hair behind her ear. “Dominique is too sweet to care about trivial matters like that. But the media. Woo, could you imagine how they would spin that? You’d look like a gold-digging child and she would come across as naïve and like she was played again.”

“But it’s not like that.”

“You can say that, but the media can say otherwise. Then that leaves you either trying to live up to unreal expectations, or to crash and burn in another media mess that, thankfully, wouldn’t be my problem.”

Mir shook her head. “It’s not your problem right now either. Why are you so invested in this?”

“Because payback is a bitch. Dominique caused quite a stir when she dropped me as her agent, and I lost a lot of clients because of it. So, when Hannah met up with you two at the club, we came up with this little idea. A few pictures, a bit of dirt, and we have enough to sell to the media to ruin her name.”

_(“Blackmail?! Oh my God, Mir, what the shit?”_

_“Do you want me to finish this or not?”)_

“Why not just sell them? Why give her an option?”

“So that I can give you the option as well. Break up with Dominique and the pictures don’t get released. Your secrets stay yours to keep.”

“I’m not going to hurt someone I care about over some bullshit.”

Mir made to get up, ready for this to be over, but Dana had other plans.

“College and university are expensive, aren’t they? What if those expenses suddenly weren’t there?”

And just like that, Mir was back in the booth, boneless. She had taken the gap year in an effort to save up for school, specifically in either Toronto or Montreal, and had a few acceptance letters waiting for a response. There was funding available, sure, but it came with a debt that her particular career path might take a while paying off.

“What’s the catch?”

Dana smiled like the cat that caught the canary. “No catch. You break up with Dominique, the pictures go away and you can attend any post-secondary school you’d like, completely paid for. Provided that this stays between us, of course.”

Mir nodded, knowing she just sold her soul to the devil.

-

“So I left, went back to the house, and broke us up. I felt like an absolute bitch doing it too. She made us supper, she had just gotten good news about a new job and I… I what? I threw it all away for a chance to go to Montreal to study?”

Lisa was sat up, cross-legged and staring at her with a look of awe and shock. “Holy shit. No wonder you were so out of it when we ran into you at the elevators. I mean, you were so excited too.”

“One sec, there’s more.” Mir got up off the couch, making the trek to where she had hidden the ring in the false bottom of a jewelry box. She returned to find Lisa Googling something fiercely on her phone. “What are you doing?”

She never bothered to look up from her screen. “Trying to figure out the difference between blackmail, bribery and extortion.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m in the wrong too, by accepting the money. Trust me, I looked into it myself.” She held the pouch out to Lisa, dangling it between her face and the phone screen. “Here’s the more.”

The look on Lisa’s face as she dumped the ring into her palm was priceless, and Mir wished she could take a picture of it to send to Brad. But this was another part of her big secret, that she was only sharing with Lisa because she trusted her friend implicitly. 

“You’re not…”

Mir laughed with genuine amusement. “Not engaged. Dom bought it to propose to Hannah, then gave it to me to either pawn off or bring to auction to help pay for my future. Pawn shop was willing to do seven grand. The auction guy thought he could get about fifteen for it.”

“So, what are you going to do with it?” Lisa asked, still examining the ring. “It’s really something else.”

“It’s a Vera Wang. Almost two and a half carats. And I haven’t decided yet. Part of me doesn’t want to do anything with it.” Mir rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. “It feels wrong to sell it.”

“Can you put it on?” Lisa handed her back the ring, a gleam in her eyes that never bode well in the past. “Humour me.”

“What?”

“Put it on. If you’re too sentimental to sell it, then wear it.”

Mir laughed. “If I’m not going to sell it, I’m going to find Dom’s address and mail it back to her.”

“So then what’s the harm in putting it on for two seconds?” Lisa urged. “Besides, you can pretend to be the future Mireille Paquette. Married and living with Dom, raising cute little puppies in a house with a big backyard.”

The glare was half-hearted at best, since fifteen-year-old Mir had told Lisa the same thing. And it wasn’t the first time she had thought about putting on the ring.

“Fine,” she conceded, trying not to smile. “But it’s still going back.”

It slid on easily, and Lisa was quick to grab her hand to look at it. “I don’t know. If you hadn’t told me she bought this ring for her ex, I’d swear up and down that Dom bought this for you.”

“After a week?” she laughed, shaking her head. “Who does that?”

“Listen, I saw the sparks in the club, and the rest of the time there. You both had it bad; I just think Dom’s career basically being its own fairy tale might impact the way she does things.”

Mir looked at her left hand, her heart heavy all over again. “It doesn’t matter anymore, does it? I’ll be in Montreal in a month, and she’ll be coaching future figure skating stars. We’ll forget each other, and that will be that.”

“I’m calling it now that you’re wrong.” Lisa settled back into the couch, legs crossed and a knowing smile on her face. “The universe hates losing.”


End file.
